Paper transfer arrangement



July 20, 196 A. T. ROWELL, SR

PAPER TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2:

Filed Dec. 23, 1963 mm H y 1 A. "r. ROWELL, SR 3,195,885

PAPER TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT Filed Dec. 23, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 m f n It) g N INVENTOR.

051581 2 raw/45 2 WWW (/QiZy.

United States Patent grasses PAPER TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT Albert T. Rowell, SE3, 49st) W. Lunt Ava, Skolrle, In. Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,556 11 Claims. 01. 271-16) This invention relates to paper transfer mechanisms, and more particularly to a paper transfer mechanism suitable for use in a device for making photomechanical reproductions of a document on photosensitive paper.

The invention comprehends an improved mechanism for rapidly transferring individual sheets of photosensitive paper into and out of an exposure station in a photomechanical reproducing device.

One of the advantages of using individual sheets of photosensitive paper in a reproducing device, as compared with an uninterrupted web or roll of sheet material, is that a partially filled magazine can be filled to capacity merely by adding the necessary number of sheets of paper; whereas, a partially used roll of paper must be completely replaced. This is especially important in a commercial or coin-operated reproducing machine.

It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to provide a fully automatic vending type machine for photomechanically reproducing documents on separate sheets of photosensitive paper.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the type described, of a paper transfer mechanism including a base and a frame carrying a pair of rollers and mounted on the base for pivotal movement between a pair of paper processing stations.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from an examination of the following description and drawings, wherein: Y

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a photomechanical reproducing device embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal, vertical section taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, vertical section on line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the paper transfer mechanism shown in the other views;

FIGURE 5a is a view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 5, but with the roller assembly shown in a different position;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the roller assembly frame illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 5a; and

FIGURES 7-9 are fragmentary elevational views of the roller assembly illustrated in FIGURE 6 as shown in different positions relative to the base of the paper transfer mechanism.

It will be understood that, for purpose of clarity, certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are believed to be illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, and particularly to FIGURES 1-3, it will be seen that the photomechanical reproducing device embodying features of the invention includes a housing, indicated generally at It), having top, bottom, and side walls 12, I l, and 16, respectively, which form a boxlike enclosure with an internal cavity 18.

As best seen in FIGURE 1, housing top wall 12 has a sloping portion 29 with preferably a glass window 22 adapted to support, externally of the housing, a document to be photomechanically reproduced by the mechanism within the housing. Top wall 12 may also be provided with a hinged cover 24 adapted to be placed over the document being reproduced to retain it in position on window 22.

The end and front side walls may be provided with doors 26 and 28, respectively, to afford access to the interior of the housing, and the front side wall door 28 may be provided with an aperture 22 to permit a copy of the reproduced document to be discharged from the machine.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, there is positioned within the housing adjacent window 22, a plurality of lights 30. Below the lights are positioned a lens or set of lenses 32 and a shutter mechanism 34.

As the lens and shutter mechanism may be of a conventional type they are not illustrated or described in any great detail.

Below the shutter mechanism there is mounted a mirror 36 positioned to focus the image of the document being reproduced on a sheet of photosensitive paper carried by the paper transfer mechanism, indicated generally at 40.

The paper transfer mechanism, which forms an essential feature of the invention, is arranged and disposed so that it can be placed in or removed from the housing as an integral unit.

As best seen in FIGURE 5, paper transfer mechanism 40 includes a base, indicated generally at 42, adapted to support: a roller assembly, indicated generally at 44 and illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, an actuating mechanism, indicated generally at 46, and a supply of individual sheets of photosensitive paper 48.

Still referring to FIGURE 5, it will be seen that the base is a box-like structure, open at the top, and includes a pair of parallel, transversely spaced, vertical side walls 50, a pair of parallel, transversely extending, vertical inner and outer front walls 52 and 54, respectively, which are spaced a relatively short distance apart at the front of the base to form therebetween a pocket 55 for receipt of the roller assembly 44 in a manner hereinafter described. The base also includes a bottom wall 56 and a movable rear wall 58 which forms with the inner front wall and the side walls another pocket 59 adapted to receive the supply of paper 48.

The movable rear wall 58 is urged to move toward the front inner wall 52 to compress the supply of paper therebetween, by a vertically disposed feed lever 60 which has its upper end engageable with the outer surface of rear wall 58 and which has its lower end pivoted, as at 62, to the base. Biasing of the lever is achieved by a hair spring 64 which is fulcrumed on pivot 62 with one end engaging the edge of bottom wall 56 and the other end engaging a pin 66 projecting from a medial portion of lever 60. Thus, the front inner wall and the rear wall, with the aid of the lever and spring form a type of magazine which feeds the paper up against the inner surface of inner wall 52, so that the first sheet of paper is in full face abutting engagement with the inner surface of inner front wall 52, this location to be hereinafter referred to as the storage station.

As best seen in FIGURE 6, roller assembly 44 includes a somewhat H-shaped frame 70 having a pair of spaced parallel, vertically disposed side rails 72 interconnected by one or more transversely extending struts or cross members 74. Intermediate its ends each of the side rails 72 is pivotally connected by a pin 76 to an ear 78 projecting forwardly from the related base side wall 50.

At its upper and lower ends frame 70 carries a pair of upper and lower cylindrically shaped transfer rollers preferably formed of rubber or a similar material which have their ends journally carried by side rails '72 for rotative movement about parallel, horizontal axes. At corresponding ends of the rollers are carried gears 82, the function of which is hereinafter described.

At their lower ends the side rails of the frame have integrally connected thereto a pair of irregularly shaped paper holding or retaining bars or clips, the purpose of which is hereinafter described. Also fixedly secured to and extending rearwardly from a medial position of one side rail 72 is a cam bar 86 which has a cam roller 83 rotatively mounted thereon for engagement with a cam in a manner hereinafter described.

Rotatably carried on the outside of one base side wall is a cam gear 90 which has formed integrally therewith or secured thereto axially outwardly thereof a cam wheel 92 presenting an eccentric outer surface disposed for engagement with roller 88 of cam bar 86 and also with the end of an actuating lever or arm 94 the other end of which is connected to a micro-switch or solenoid 96, mounted on the related side wall of the base, and operative to start and stop a motor 98 also mounted on the base side wall. At its free end cam bar 86 may be connected to the base by a vertically disposed tension spring 95. Actuation of the roller assembly is accomplished through a gear train indicated generally at 1%, which includes a gear M2 on the motor shaft which is connected by a first gear chain 104 to a gear 1% mounted on a shaft 108 journalled in the base side wall.

Also mounted on shaft 198 for rotation with gear 1% is a second gear 110 which is connected to gears $2 on the rollers 80 by a second gear chain 112. A pair of idler gears 114 are also rotatably carried by the base side wall on opposite sides of chain 112 to keep it in place. One of the gears 114 is mounted on a shaft 116 for rotation with a second gear 118 which is engageable with cam gear 90.

Before describing the remaining structure and operation of the roller assembly and its actuating mechanism, reference will now be made to the portion of the device concerned with the exposure and developing of the photo sensitive paper.

When a sheet of the unexposed paper is deposited against the front or outer surface of the base front outer wall 54, hereinafter referred to as the exposure station, by the roller assembly, in a manner to be described later in the specification, the device is ready for operation or reproduction of a document which is placed (not shown), printed side down, on window 22 of the housing.

At this point a button (not shown) is pushed or, in the case of a coin-operated vending machine, a coin is inserted.

As the operating cycle commences the lights go on and the shutter opens to expose the sheet of paper at the exposure station. As this operation can be achieved antomatically by a synchronized set of switches, timers, and relays in a conventional manner, the electrical circuitry is not illustrated or described in detail.

After the paper has been exposed it is moved, in a manner hereinafter described, by the roller assembly out of the exposure station of the paper transfer mechanism base and into a tank 120 of developing chemical solution, as best seen in FIGURE 2.

The leading edge of the exposed paper passes through guide channel 122 to be engaged preferably by two pairs of rollers 124, the lower pair of which passes into the developing solution and applies it to the exposed surface of the paper.

As the paper leaves the developing area it is urged by the rollers 122, which are still in engagement with its trailing portion, to pass through a guide channel 126, positioned within a tank 128 of stabilizing chemical solu-' tion, and out of the solution Where its leading edge is picked up by a pair of rollers 130 and urged out of the housing through front wall aperature 29 where it is delivered from the machine.

As best seen in FIGURES 2-4, the upper rollers 124 have gears 1132 on the ends thereof and one roller 13%) has a gear 134 on the end thereof disposed for engagement With a driving'gear chain 136 engageable with an idler gear 137 and a driving gear 138 on the shaft of a'motor i 14% mounted on a removable tray structure 142 which also carries or houses the tanks 129 and 122. Like the base 42 of the paper transfer assembly, the tray structure M2 is also adapted to be removed as an integralunit from the housing.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, chemicals may 'be furnished to the developing and stabilizing tanks from a pair of bottles 146 positioned on the inside of a side wall of the housing. It will be understood that as the chemical compositions of the photosensitive paper and the developing and stabilizing solutions are known in the photography and chemical fields, there is no need for describing them in detail in this application, as this invention is concerned primarily with the location of the various subassemblies of the machine and especially with the paper transporting mechanisms.

Now to return to the structure and operation of the paper transfer mechanism and the actuation and function of the roller assembly, it will be seen that, by the action of the motor, gear train, and cam arrangement, the roller assembly can reciprocate or pivot alternately between a first position, illustrated in FIGURES 5, 7 and 9 and a second position illustrated in FIGURES 5a and 8.

When the roller assembly is in the first position, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 7, motor 98 is shut off, and rollers 84) are free from engagement with the unexposed sheet of paper which is in the exposure station against the outer surface of base outer wall 54 ready to be exposed. The paper is retained in place by the retaining elements 84, the ends of which extend under the lower edge of the paper when the roller assembly is in the first position.

After the exposure cycle has been completed, motor 98 is actuated, through a series of timed relays and switches (not shown), and through gear train Hit) the roller as sembly is moved to the second position, illustrated in FIG- URES 5a and 8. When the roller assembly is in this second position it will be seen that a portion of upper roller extends through an opening 15th at the top of front inner wall 52 where it can engage the upper end of the first sheet U of unexposed paper at the storage station, while at the same time a portion of lower roller 80 extends through an opening 152 at the bottom of front outer wall 54 where it can engage the lower end of the exposed sheet E of paper at the exposure station.

As the roller assembly moves into the second position by the action of cam bar 86 as its roller rides on the surface of cam 92, the retaining elements 84 move out of engagement with the lower edge of sheet E so that as the lower roller 80, which is being rotated in a clockwise di rection, as seen in FIGURE 5, engages the sheet E it moves the sheet downwardly and out of the exposure station through guide channel 122 and into the developing tank where the leading edge of sheet E is picked up by the first pair of rollers 124.

While the sheet E is being moved out of the exposure station by lower roller 80, upper roller 3h engages the upper end of sheet U and begins to urge it upwardly out of the storage station and over the top of upper roller $0 toward the exposure station. Proper guiding and positioning of the sheet U is facilitated by an arcuate guide channel 154, located over upper roller 80, and by one or more idler rollers 156 mounted on the front wall of the base above front outer wall 54.

As the roller assembly continues to move from the second position (FIGURE 8) toward the first position (FIGURE 9) the upper roller again engages the leading portion of sheet E and continues to move it downwardly into the exposure station until its lower or leading edge engages retaining elements 84 which have moved back into operating or retaining position.

When the roller assembly arrives completely at the first position again (FIGURE 7) the upper roller 80 no longer engages the sheet U which is now held in position in the exposure station by retaining elements 84.

Also, at this point the recessed portion of cam 92 has been reached to relieve the pressure on Spring loaded switch arm 94 so that the motor 98 is shut off, and movement of the roller assembly is halted, until the exposure cycle has again been completed.

The entire cycle is then repeated as after a sheet of paper has been exposed it is moved out of the exposure station and an unexposed sheet of paper is moved into the exposure station.

I claim:

1. In a device for making photomechanical reproductions of a document on photosensitive paper, a paper transfer mechanism removably positioned within a housing for simultaneously transporting a single sheet of unexposed paper from a stack to an exposure station and transporting a single exposed sheet of paper from said exposure station to a developing station, comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a roller-supporting frame mounted on said base for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis;

(c) a pair of upper and lower cylindrical rollers rotatably mounted on upper and lower portions of said frame for rotation about a pair of horizontal axes extending parallel to each other and to the pivotal axis of said frame;

(d) said base including a pair of inner and outer vertical walls disposed on opposite sides of said frame to present flat surfaces facing away from said rollers and forming storage and exposure stations, respectively;

(c) said inner and outer walls having openings in their upper and lower portions to permit the movement of said rollers into the planes of said walls as I said frame pivots on its axis;

(f) said base including resilient means for compressing a stack of unexposed photosensitive paper against the surface of said inner wall at said storage station;

(g) means for driving said rollers;

(h) cam means associated with said driving means for causing said frame to pivot alternately between a one position wherein the upper roller projects into the upper opening of said inner wall to engage and transport a sheet of unexposed paper from said storage station up and over said upper roller to said exposure station, and wherein the lower roller projects into the lower opening of said outer wall to engage and transport a sheet of exposed paper from said exposure station, toward said developing station; and another position wherein the upper roller projects into the upper opening of said outer wall to engage and transport said sheet of unexposed paper into said exposure station; and

(i) a retaining element carried at the lower end of said frame for engagement with the lower extremity of said unexposed sheet of paper when said frame is in said other position to retain said unexposed sheet of paper at said exposure station.

2. In a device for making photomechanical reproductions of a document on photosensitive paper, a paper transfer mechanism removably positionedwithin a housing for simultaneously transporting a single sheet of unexposed paper from a stack to an exposure station and transporting a single exposed sheet of paper from said exposure station to a developing station, comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a roller-supporting fr-ame mounted on said base for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis;

(0) a pair of upper and lower cylindrical rollers rotatably mounted on upper and lower portions of said frame for rotation about a pair of horizontal axes extending parallel to each other and to the pivotal axis of said frame;

(d) said base including a pair of inner and outer vertical walls disposed on opposite sides of said frame to present fiat surfaces facing away from said rollers and forming storage and exposure stations, respectively;

(e) said inner and outer walls having openings in their upper and lower portions to permit the movement of said rollers into the planes of said walls as said frame pivots on its axis;

(f) means for driving said rollers;

(g) cam means associated with said driving means for causing said frame to pivot alternately between a one position wherein the upper roller projects into the upper opening of said inner wall to engage and transport a sheet of unexposed paper from said storage station up and over said upper roller to said exposure station, and wherein the lower roller projects into the lower opening of said outer wall to engage and transport a sheet of exposed paper from said exposure station, toward said developing station; and another position wherein the upper roller projects into the upper opening of said outer wall to engage and transport said sheet of unexposed paper into said exposure station; and

(h) a retaining element carried at the lower end of said frame for engagement with the lower extremity of said unexposed sheet of paper when said frame is in said other position to retain said unexposed sheet of paper at said exposure station.

3. In a device for making photomechanical reproductions of a document on photosensitive paper, a paper transfer mechanism removably positioned within a housing for simultaneously transporting a single sheet of unexposed paper from a stack to an exposure station and transporting a single exposed sheet of paper from Said exposure station to a developing station, comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a roller-supporting frame mounted on said base for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis;

(0) a pair of upper and lower cylindrical rollers rotata'oly mounted on upper and lower portions of said frame for rotation about a pair of horizontal axes extending parallel to each other and to the pivotal axis of said frame;

(d) said base including a pair of inner and outer vertical walls disposed on opposite sides of said frame to present flat surfaces facing away from said rollers and forming storage and exposure stations, respectively;

(e) said inner and outer walls having openings in their upper and lower portions to permit the movement of said rollers into the planes of said walls as said frame pivots on its axis;

(f) means for driving said rollers; and

(g) cam means associated with said driving means for causing said frame to pivot alternately between a one position wherein the upper roller projects into the upper opening of said inner wall to engage and transport a sheet of unexposed paper from said storage station up and over said upper roller to said exposure station, and wherein the lower roller projects into the lower opening of said outer wall to engage and transport a sheet of exposed paper from said exposure station, toward said developing station; and another position wherein the upper roller projects into the upper opening of said outer wall to engage and transport said sheet of unexposed paper into said exposure station.

4. In a photomechanical reproducing device, a paper transfer mechanism, comprising:

(a) a base having a pair of laterally spaced, parallel first and second vertical walls;

(b) means for retaining portions of first and second sheets of paper against outer faces of said walls;

(c) a roller assembly positioned between said walls and including:

(i) a generally H-shaped frame pivotally connectted intermediate its ends to the base for limited pivotal movement on a horizontal axis extending parallel to the planes of said walls; and

(ii) a pair of generally cylindrical upper and lower rollers carried by the frame for rotation on axes parallel to the pivotal axis of said frame;

((1) means for driving said rollers; and

'(e) means associated with said driving means for causing said frame to pivot alternately between:

(i) one position wherein the lower roller engages a lower portion of said second sheet of paper to move it downwardly away from said second wall and the upper roller engages an upper portion of said first sheet of paper to move it upwardly away from said first wall; and

(ii) another position wherein said upper roller reengages said first sheet of paper and moves it downwardly toward the outer face of said second wall.

' 5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the means for causing said frame to pivot include one cam member operated by the driving means and another cam member carried by the frame and engageable with said one cam member.

6. A device according to claim 4-, wherein the means for retaining said first sheet of paper against the outer face of said first wall includes a spring biased retaining wall.

7. A device according to claim 4, wherein the means for retaining said second sheet of paper against the outer face of said second wall includes a rod extending from a lower portion of said frame and disposed for engagement with a lower edge of said second sheet of paper when the roller assembly is in said other position.

8. A device for transferring sheets of paper from one location to another, comprising:

(a) a base having a pair of spaced parallel first and second paper supporting members;

(b) means for retaining first and second sheets of paper against outer faces of said supporting members;

(c) a roller assembly positioned between said supporting members and including:

(i) a frame pivoted intermediate its ends to the base for limited pivotal movement on a horizontal axis extending parallel to the planes of said supporting members; and

(ii) a pair of rollers carried by the frame for rotation on axes parallel to the pivotal axis of said frame;

(d) means for driving said rollers; and

(e) means associated with driving means for causing said frame to pivot alternately between;

(i)' one position wherein one roller engages said first sheet to move it away from said first supporting member and the other roller engages said second sheet to move it away from said second supporting member; and

(ii) another position wherein said one roller reengages said first sheet to move it toward said second supporting member.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the means for causing said frame to pivot from one position to the other includes a pair of cooperating cam members connected to the driving means and frame, respectively.

it). A device according to claim 8, wherein the means for retaining one sheet of paper against one supporting member includesspring means.

11. A device according to claim 8, wherein the means for retaining one sheet of paper against one supporting member includes a rod carried by the frame for engagement with said sheet of paper when said frame is in a certain position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,852,255 9/58 Fischer 27132 2,992,820 7/61 Tarbuck 27140 X 3,058,410 10/62 Limberger 27110 X M. HENSON WOOD, 111., Primary Examiner.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR MAKING PHOTOMECHANICAL REPRODUCTIONS OF A DOCUMENT ON PHOTOSENSITIVE PAPER, A PAPER TRANSFER MECHANISM REMOVABLY POSITIONED WITHIN A HOUSING FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY TRANSPORTING A SINGLE SHEET OF UNEXPOSED PAPER FROM A STACK TO AN EXPOSURE STATION AND TRANSPORTING A SINGLE EXPOSED SHEET OF PAPER FROM SAID EXPOSURE STATION TO A DEVELOPING STATION, COMPRISING; (A) A BASE; (B) A ROLLER-SUPPORTING FRAME MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR LIMITED PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS; (C) A PAIR OF UPPER AND LOWER CYLINDRICAL ROLLERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME FOR ROTATION ABOUT A PAIR OF HORIZONTAL AXES EXTENDING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID FRAME; (D) SAID BASE INCLUDING A PAIR OF INNER AND OUTER VERTICAL WALLS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRAME TO PRESENT FLAT SURFACES FACING AWAY FROM SAID ROLLERS AND FORMING STORAGE AND EXPOSURE STATIONS, RESPECTIVELY; (E) SAID INNER AND OUTER WALLS HAVING OPENINGS IN THEIR UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS TO PERMIT THE MOVEMENT OF SAID ROLLERS INTO THE PLANES OF SAID WALLS AS SAID FRAME PIVOTS ON ITS AXIS; (F) SAID BASE INCLUDING RESILIENT MEANS FOR COMPRESSING A STACK OF UNEXPOSED PHOTOSENSITIVE PAPER AGAINST THE SURFACE OF SAID INNER WALL AT SAID STORAGE STATION; (G) MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID ROLLERS; (H) CAM MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID DRIVING MEANS FOR CAUSING SAID FRAME TO PIVOT ALTERNATELY BETWEEN A ONE POSITION WHEREIN THE UPPER ROLLER PROJECTS INTO THE UPPER OPENING OF SAID INNER WALL TO ENGAGE AND TRANSPORT A SHEET OF UNEXPOSED PAPER FROM SAID STORAGE STATION UP AND OVER SAID UPPER ROLLER TO SAID EXPOSURE STATION, AND WHEREIN THE LOWER ROLLER PROJECTS INTO THE LOWER OPENING OF SAID OUTER WALL TO ENGAGE AND TRANSPORT A SHEET OF EXPOSED PAPER FROM SAID EXPOSURE STATION, TOWARD SAID DEVELOPING STATION; AND ANOTHER POSITION WHEREIN THE UPPER ROLLER PROJECTS INTO THE UPPER OPENING OF SAID OUTER WALL TO ENGAGE AND TRANSPORT SAID SHEET OF UNEXPOSED PAPER INTO SAID EXPOSURE STATION; AND (I) A RETAINING ELEMENT CARRIED AT THE LOWER END OF SAID FRAME FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID UNEXPOSED SHEET OF PAPER WHEN SAID FRAME IS IN SAID OTHER POSITION TO RETAIN SAID UNEXPOSED SHEET OF PAPER AT SAID EXPOSURE STATION. 